Pizza Luce Downtown

What makes a city cosmopolitan? Ever-ready midnight-or late-breakfast-pizza slices with artichokes next to a good beer is as good a definition as any, so hallelujah for these beloved Minneapolis gems. It's just icing on the cake that at the Lucés beer is served as often as not by someone who looks like they just came back from touring with GWAR-cosmopolitan squared! All four restaurants (with a fifth in Duluth) serve up a crisp crust, potent red sauce, and more toppings than you can shake an antipasto at: Calamata olives, roasted red peppers, homemade sausage, barbecued chicken, and spicy mock duck, to name a very few. (Vegans, please note: Lucé has more animal-free possibilities than just about any other metro restaurant.) Trying to pick between them? The Lyn-Lake location is a neighborhood joint with easy parking that closes at 2:30 a.m. and has a wine and beer license; the Seward one is also open until 2:30 a.m. but is more family oriented (though it has a full bar); the downtown Lucé is the most hopping, offering daily specials, a full bar, full-service and counter sections for seating, and is open till an invaluable 3:30 a.m. on weekends.